KC city manager says 20-year illegal club is referred to nuisance business task force

A nightclub that has operated illegally and caused problems for Santa Fe neighborhood residents for 20 years has been referred to Kansas City’s Nuisance Business Task Force, the City Manager’s Office said Tuesday on Twitter.

“I became aware of this issue this morning and have assigned the business to our Nuisance Business Task Force,” the tweet said, including a link to a Kansas City Star story about the club.

City Manager Troy Schulte said in an email that the city “may have to pursue more vigorous enforcement actions such as property receivership which can be removing the current ownership from control of the property and/or up to and including building demolition.”

On Tuesday The Star reported the club, PM Crown, had been dodging regulation from city officials since the late 1990s. Neighbors said the business had been causing problems in the neighborhood for years, but the club stayed open.

City officials said they have tried four or five times to close the club but it continues to open again.

The current operator has been convicted of selling liquor without a license and received probation. Police have responded to several noise complaints and have been there with city liquor license enforcement.

Still the club has continued to operate, mostly on weekends, neighbors said.

Neighbors said on nights when the club is open, it’s hard to park in their neighborhood past midnight unless they have their own driveway. Police have been called for three loud music complaints in the past six months. A woman was severely injured in a hit-and run outside the club last month.

But many residents said they have stopped calling police altogether, as they have grown exhausted and lost hope that authorities would be capable of closing the club down.

This story was originally published July 2, 2019 at 2:21 PM.